Although the topics of diversity and inclusion are related, they are not interchangeable. Diversity refers to a company’s representation in its workforce. Inclusion refers to how successfully diverse employees’ contributions, presence, and viewpoints are recognized and incorporated into the organization. This provides equal access to resources and opportunities for advancement. Because prioritization of diversity and inclusion helps keep your company competitive, both need to be emphasized in the company’s workforce, policies, and initiatives.
Implement these tips to show that diversity and inclusion are important in your workforce.
Create a Multicultural Calendar
Ask employees to share details about their practices and values related to their culture or religion. Find ways to incorporate them into the workplace. This may include having HR develop a calendar for staff to share important holidays or events. HR may be able to plan festive activities to celebrate or accommodate for time off.
Promote Educational Events
Encourage staff from minority religions or cultures to organize events that educate others on some of their traditions. This may involve a potluck lunch hour where employees bring a culturally inspired dish. Use this as an opportunity to gain insight into and a stronger appreciation for coworkers.
Develop a Culture-Focused Bulletin Board
Encourage employees to share pictures or information on a bulletin board to promote their culture, background, or lifestyle. This may include photos with their family celebrating a religious or cultural holiday. Or, it could involve information about an upcoming holiday, its background, and what it means to them personally.
Train on Diversity
Cultural diversity needs to be included in your training process. Be sure to focus on the importance of workplace diversity and how it strengthens your organization. You may want to include statistics on what your workplace culture is like and how it keeps your company competitive. You also should emphasize how to treat others from different backgrounds. Because certain comments or questions may be considered inappropriate or offensive, they need to be avoided.
Advocate for Minority Advancement
Emphasize the importance of promotions for minorities in your organization. This is especially important for minority women, who often report the lowest job satisfaction levels and struggle to advance in their careers. Although many Black women feel their managers do not consider them for promotion, many do not report their beliefs due to concerns over gender and racial bias. This can be combated by paying additional attention to mentoring and coaching minority employees to gain the skills needed to advance within the organization.
Hire Diverse Employees
Source diverse employees through Job Store Staffing®. Get started today.